This invention relates to multiple shot blasting systems.
In the specification of the Applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 5,214,236 entitled: "Timing of a multi-shot blast", there is disclosed novel apparatus and a method of timing a multi-shot blast.
According to the method disclosed in the above specification, each charge is fired or initiated individually by loading, via a dedicated path established between a transportable firing or programming tool and each detonator arrangement individually, one after the other, data regarding the time on which the charge associated with that detonator arrangement must explode. Upon reception of the time data, each detonator arrangement starts separately and independently to process the time data, thereby to cause its associated charge to explode when, according to a clock in the detonator arrangement, that charge must explode.
Thus, after the charges have been so initiated, the only way in which the blast can be aborted, is to physically re-establish the path between the firing tool and each detonator arrangement individually, one after the other, and to communicate an "abort"-command to the detonator arrangements. This method and apparatus may not be suitable for some applications.